Method of and means for stabilizing river control structures



E. E. DYSART Jan. 19, 1932.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR STABILIZING RIVER CONTROL STRUCTURES Filed Jan.13

1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 awn 70R QZL QQQYQQW ATTORNEY Jan. 19, 1932. E. E.DYSART 1,841,594

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR STABILIZING RIVER CONTROL STRUCTURES I 2sheets-sheet 2 Filed Jan. 13. 1951 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT orricn ESTILL E. DYSART, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI[A lic tion filed January 13, 1931. Serial no. 508,441.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) or stream, and to divert the flow of a liver or stream awayfrom the river bank when the currents tend to wash away the bank.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel method ofstabilizing river control structures so as to prevent an initialsettlement or displacement thereof due to the action of the watercurrent thereon, or the scouring of the river bed, soft sub-soil, andother causes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel method ofstabilizing river control structures consisting in providing asupporting pile or piles therefore which is'adapted to take up allsuperimposed'loads transmitted thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel pile or piles forsupporting river control structures, the said pile or pilesbeingprovided with a bail member for permitting the control structure to belashed to the supporting pile.

A A still further and important object of this invention is to provide asupporting pile for a river control structure which will be simple,cheap to construct, and efficient in use.

' The present methods of stabilizing the structures used in controllingrivers and streams are of such a nature that there is an initialsettlement or displacement of'the c0ntrol structure due to the actionof-the current of water thereon, or by the scouring of the river bed,soft sub-soil, and various other causes. The supporting piles thereforeare also not adapted to so engage'the control structure as to take upallsuperimposed loads transmitted to the control structure.

It is therefore the aim and purpose of this invention to provide amethod of, and means for stabilizing river control structures, wherebythe supporting anchors or anchorages therefore are connected to thecontrol structure in such a manner as to take up all superlmposed Iloads control structures which is eficient and durable in use.

l/Vith the above and other objects and advantages in View the inventionconsists in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinaftermore fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings; it being understood however that various changes in form andproportion and other details may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring more particularly now to the accompanying drawings in whichcorresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters:

Fig. '1 is a top plan view of a river control structure in place on theright bank of a river, looking up-stream, using my improved method ofstabilizing the control structure.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the control structure and thesupporting pile therefore taken on the plan of line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the river control structuretogether with my improved supporting piles therefore, taken on line 33of Fig. 2 illustrating my improved ly in section.

' Fig. 7- is a side elevation-of a bail member which is fitted on thecap of the supporting pile.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the bail member.

Fig. 9 is a vertical elevation of a nozzle point, partly in sectionwhich may be employed on the lower end of the supporting pile.

In the description of this invention 1 indicates generally a common formof river control structure of crib-like formation, consisting of aplurality of horizontally arranged tree members 2 which are held inspaced relation with each other by means of spacing members 8. The treemembers 2 and spacing members 3 are interwound with a rope or wire cable1 for lashing the tree and spacing members 2 and 3 together. Except forthe lower most of the tree members 2, the trunks 5 thereof aresuperimposed one above the other, alternately with the spacing members8, while the branched ends 6 thereof extend rearwardly from the body ofthe control structure 1 and project in the direction of the flow of theriver 7 as indicated by the arrow. The branched ends 8 of the lower mosttree members 2 project forwardly of the control structure 1 against theflow of the stream 7. The branched ends 6 and 8 of the tree members 2form a permeable barricr to aid in retarding the rate of flow of thestream 7 so that the silt and suspended matter 9 in the stream will havea chance to be deposited upon the control structure 1 as well as uponthe branched ends 6 and 8 of the tree members 2, and to the rear of thesame.

The supporting anchorage for the control structure 1, is made in theform of a pile 10 which in the present instance, as illustrated in Fig.l of the drawings consists of a hollow cylindrical tube 11 made of metalor other suitable material. The upper end 12 of the tube 11 isexternally threaded to receive the internal threads 13 of the internallythreaded cap 14 containing transverse and aligned apertures 15. Swivellymounted in the apertures 15 of the cap 14 is a circular pivot pin 16 onwhich is pivotably mounted a fastening bail member 17 for the purpose oftying the river control structure 1 in place. The lower end 18 of thetube 11 of the supporting pile 10 has a nozzle head 19 aflixed theretowhich is made preferably of a metallic substance and is to be employedwhere adverse soil conditions prevent the normal drive of the supportingpile 10 into the soil in which advent the pile 10 would in itselfcomprise a water jet to assist in per mitting the pile 10 to bepenetrated into the soil to the required depth.

To attach the river control structure 1 to the supporting pile or piles10 and prevent the possible settlement of the control structure 1 byvirtue of the action of the water current of stream 7 thereon, thesecuring of the river bed, or soft sub-soil, the lashing 20 which ispreferably made of wire cable is pro vided. The wire cable 20 is causedto interwind at least the three upper-most members of the crib-likecontrol structure 1 and thence pass through the bail member 17 providedon the upper end 11 of the supporting pile 10 as illustrated in Fig. 3of the drawings.

By this method of lashing the river control structure 1 to thesupporting pile 10 by means of the bail member 17 the supporting pile orpiles 10 may take up any and all superimposed loads transmitted thereto,thus preventing the possible settlement or displacement of the controlstructure 1 which may be caused by the action of the water currentthereon or other causes.

In determining the value to be placed upon the supporting pile 10 animportant factor is to be considered along the following lines, to wit:

The silt carrying capacity of the stream 7 depends upon its velocity,that is, the greater the velocity the greater the silt carryingcapacity. In other words, the silt carrying capacity increases with thevelocity of the stream 7 and falls off with the retardation of thestream.

Therefore, when the control structure 1 which is first placed in thestream 7 with the current velocity being naturally greater then, thanany time later, there is created a clownward agitation having an effectto under-scour the control structure 1 and thereby cause a settlementthereof. It is at this period that the supporting pile 10 is to functionand prevent initial settlement of the control structure 1, thesupporting pile 10 must be pene trated into the soil sufiiciently as tosustain the load of the control structure 1. Later when the controlstructure 1 begins an accumulation of detached fragments 9 of the stream7 the velocity of the stream is automatically retarded with theresulting effect that soil deposits 9 accumulate about the controlstructure 1 eventually overspreading it entirely. It is at this periodthat due to superimposed loads with possible voids underneath that asettlement of the control struc ture 1 is likely to occur, and againcomes the necessity of the supporting pile 10 to prevent settlementuntil by natural river action the soil and structure conditions adjustthem selves to a firm foundation.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a highly novel, simple andefficient method of stabilizing river control structures by theinstallation of a supporting pile for the control structure which willprevent a detrimental settlement of the control structure until such atime when the said control structure may become independent of necessarysupports, or reverting to its intended obligation should adverse riverconditions create the necessity throughout and beyond the life of thecontrol structure proper.

Now that I have described my invention what I claim as new and wish tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for controlling rivers; comprising vertical pilesdriven intothe river bed at the desired point, bail members pivotally mounted onthe upper end of said piles and a crib structure of interlaced memberssuspended from said piles by means of a flexible strand which passesthrough said bail members and supports said crib structure at pointslofcated on three members from the top there- 0 l 2. Means forcontrolling rivers; comprising vertical piles driven into the river bed,bail members pivotally mounted on the upper ends of said piles, a cribstructure of interlaced cross members suspended from said piles and acable which passes through said bail members and interwinds theuppermost members of said crib structure for connecting said cribstructure to said piles.

3. Means for controlling rivers; comprising vertical piles driven intothe river bed bail members pivotally connected to the upper ends of saidpiles, a crib structure consisting of a plurality of tree members andspacing members suspended from said piles by means of flexible strandswhich pass through said bail members and support said crib structure atpoints located on said spacing members and said tree members.

4:. Means for controlling rivers; comprising hollow piles closed attheir upper ends by means of caps, transverse and aligned apertures insaid caps, pivot pins swivelly mounted in said apertures, bail memberspivotally mounted on said pins, hollow cone-shaped metallic nozzlesfixed to the lower end of said piles and a crib structure of interlacedmembers suspended from said piles by means of a flexible strand whichsupports said crib structure at points located at least the third memberfrom the top and passes through said bail members for taking up allsuperimposed loads transmitted to said iles.

E TILL E. DYSART.

